Mary Spears

A Patriot of the American Revolution for NORTH CAROLINA. DAR Ancestor # A081926

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Mary Neely was a brave, wonderful woman. She was born in Tennessee. Her family migrated to Neely Bend in Tennessee. They were close to Manskers Station Fort in now Goodlettsville Tennessee. One day her Father and she were boiling salt. They were attacked by Shawnee warriors. Her father was killed and scalped. Mary lost consciousness and was dragged away to their canoe where she remained in captivity for over 2 years before being rescued at Ft Detroit, Michigan. She was only 18 years old. This happened in 1780. Census records record her daughter, Delilah’s birth ca 1780. This is while she was in captivity. The Shawnee named her Songbird because she had a beautiful voice. After she was rescued, she came to live with a Family called Spears where she worked in their household. She met and married George Spears February 19, 1785. Their first child was Hannah and more to come. She had an incredible life, also very tragic loosing her Mother, Margaret Patterson Neely and some of her brothers in another Indian attack. She lived in Menard Co I’ll and healed many people with Herbs and remedies she learned while living with the Shawnee and lovingly called Granny Spears in her later life. I have attached her story written by a author by her own account of her life.